Low level washing and dusting apparatus for aircraft and the like

ABSTRACT

An aircraft washing and dusting device consisting of a small three wheeled vehicle having a boom that can be raised and lowered, with a brush on the end of the boom. The brush consists of two large diameter cylindrical halves spaced slightly apart along an axle. The axle is journelled in a housing and is rotated hydraulically, and the housing is mounted on the end of the boom for rotation *by another hydraulic motor) about an axis perpendicular to the axis of the axle. The housing and brush are levelled by a levelling rod as the boom is raised and lowered. By rotation of the housing the brush can wash vertical surfaces, the underside of horizontal surfaces, and sloping surfaces.

United States Patent Thornton-Trump [451 Aug. 1,1972

[54] LOW LEVEL WASHING AND DUSTING APPARATUS FOR AIRCRAFT AND THE LIKE[72] lnventor: Walter Edward Thornton-Trump, 1544 Knareswood Dr., PortCredit, Ontario, Canada [22] Filed: June 11, 1970 [21 Appl. No 45,394

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data June 12, 1969 Great Britain..29,960/69 [52] US. Cl ..l5/21 E, l5/DIG. 2, 15/49 C [51] Int. Cl...B60S 3/06 [58] Field of Search...l5/2l R, 21 D, 21 E, 49, 49 C, l5/50,50 C, 97, 98, 320

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1969 Rhinehart et al..l5/2l E 3,439,372 4/1969 Collier ..l5/2l E FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 1,038,924 8/1966 Great Britain 1 5/49 C PrimaryExaminer-Edward L. Roberts Attorney-Zarley, McKee & Thomte [5 7]ABSTRACT an axis perpendicular to the axis of the axle. The housing andbrush are levelled by a levelling rod as the boom is raised and lowered.By rotation of the housing the brush can wash vertical surfaces, theunderside of horizontal surfaces, and sloping surfaces.

12 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDws '1 i972 SHEET 1 0F 4 INVENIUR.

WALTER E. THORNTON-TRUMP P'ATENTEmuc 1 m2 3.68 0. 1 64 sum 2 BF {1 MW inv a 1 n) M 1 k FIG. 2

INVENTOR.

WALTER E. THORNTONTRUMP 3 2 awn, RM

PATENTEDAUB "'1 m2 3.680.164

SHEET 0F- 4 FIG. 6

1 NVENTOR. F I G 8 WALTER E. THORNTON-TRUMP LOW LEVEL WASHING ANDDUSTING APPARATUS FOR AIRCRAFT AND THE LIKE I This invention relates towashing and dusting apparatus, and more particularly, it relates towashing and dusting apparatus suitable for use on the lower surfaces ofaircraft.

Washing aircraft has in the past presented serious problems. It has beenimpossible to provide simple assembly-line apparatus equivalent to anautomobile car wash, because aircraft differ much more widely thanautomobiles in size and shape. The practice in the past has been largelymanual operation. Attempts have been made to build aerial powered brushdevices, but these have generally proved unworkable because of theirhigh cost and complex nature, and because of their bulk, which made themdifficult to maneouver in cramped quarters beside and beneath anaircraft.

Accordingly, the present invention in a preferred embodiment provides asimple cylindrical brush mounted on the end of a boom for brush rotationin two mutually perpendicular directions, with levelling means providedto keep the orientation of the brush constant as the boom is raised andlowered. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the boom is part ofa small self-propelled three-wheeled vehicle of the type commonly usedin orchards, thus providing an inexpensive and extremely maneouverablecombination highly suitable for use in washing and dusting the lowerportions of aircraft.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description, taken together with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a side view of apparatus according to the invention, showingthe boom and brush in two different positions;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the machine of FIG. 3;

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing how the boom of FIG. 1 ismounted on the chassis of a vehicle;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the details of the brush mounting ofthe machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a sectional along lines 6-6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a section along lines 77 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 8 is a partly sectional view showing a modification of theinvention.

Reference is first made to FIGS. 1 to 3, which show a brush according tothe invention mounted on a selfpropelled three-wheeled vehicle of thetype described and illustrated in my Canadian Pat. No. 647,340 issuedAug. 28, 1962. The vehicle, indicated generally at 2, includes a frame 4(FIGS. 1 and 3) shaped generally in the form of a V as viewed from aboveand made of tubular steel. Mounted on the frame 4 are a pair of spacedfront drive wheels 6 and a rear wheel 8 pivotally mounted at 9. Thewheel 8 is hydraulically steered by means (not shown) controlled by asteering lever 10 on a control panel 11. The front drive wheels 6 aredriven by individual hydraulic motors 12 FIG. 3) mounted on the frameand carrying spur gears 13 which engage in rim gears (not shown) aroundthe inside periphery of the hubs of wheels 6. The motors 11 arecontrolled in unison by an on-off foot pedal 14. The direction of themotors 11 (for forward or reverse) is controlled by a foot pedal 15(FIG. 3) which provides forward motion when up and reverse motion whendepressed.

The vehicle 2 is typically powered by an internal combustion engine 16(FIG. 3) driving a hydraulic pump 18 which pressurizes the oil from atank 20. The high pressure oil delivered by the pump 18 is used tooperate the hydraulic motors 12 to drive the wheels 6 and is also usedto power a boom 22 and brush assembly 24 now to be described.

The boom is mounted at the rear end of the machine, by means of anupstanding mast 26 (FIGS. 2, 4). The mast 26 is rotatably supported in abottom collar 28 which in turn is mounted on a transverse cross member30 extending between the tubular side frame members of the vehicle. Themast 26is rotatably supported near its upper end by a collar 32. Thecollar 32 is supported by a. downwardly and forwardly sloping beam 34welded to the frame 4 at the apex of the frame and covered by a slopinghood 36 shaped generally in the form of a semi-cone.

The top of the mast 26 includes a forked extension 40. The boom 22 ismounted on the extension 40 by a pair of lower plates42, secured to thebottom end of the boom. The plates 42 overlap the forked extension 40and are secured thereto by a pin 44. A pair of levelling rods 46 arealso secured to the forked extension 40 by a pin 48.

The boom 22 is raised and lowered by a cylinder 50 containing a pistonhaving its piston rod 52 pivotally connected to the lower part of theboom between the plates 42. As shown in FIG. 4, the lower end of thecylinder 50 is pivotally secured to a plate 53 welded to the rotatablemast 26 above the collar 28, so that the cylinder 50 is free to rotatewith the mast, thus enabling the boom 22 to be swung from side to side.

Side to side movement of the boom is provided by a cylinder 54 (FIG. 3)containing a piston having its piston rod 56 pivotally connected to alever 58 secured to the mast 26. The base of the piston 54 is pivotallymounted at 60 to the frame of the vehicle. The piston and cylinder 54enables side to side swinging of the boom 22 by about 30 on either sideof the central position shown in FIG. 3. Up and down and side to sidemovements of the boom are controlled by control levers 61 which operatecontrol valves controlling the flow of oil to the cylinders 50, 54 50;54.

The brush assembly 24 at the upper end of the boom will next bedescribed. Generally, the assembly includes a first arm 62 (FIG. 1)pivotally connected by a pin 64 to a pair of plates 66 extending fromthe upper end of the boom. The arm 62 includes an upwardly extending leg68 pivotally connected by a pin 69 to the levelling rod 46, so that theorientation of the arm 62- will be kept constant as the boom is raisedand lowered. The pins 44, 48, 64, 69 define a parallelogram for thispurpose.

The first arm 62 includes at its free end a hydraulic motor and wormgear housing 70, to which is connected a second arm 72. The second arm72 is rotatable about its axis as indicated by arrows A--A (FIG. 1) andis driven by a hydraulic motor in housing 70, as will be described.Mounted on the free end of the second arm 72 is a brush connectingassembly 74 (FIGS. 2, 5) which connects and rotatably supports a pair ofeach about 3 feet in diameter and 3 feet long.

The details of the brush connecting assembly 74 are best shown in FIG.5. As shown in FIG. 5, the connecting assembly 74 includes a hydraulicmotor 78 bolted inside the free end of the second arm 72. The assembly74 also includes a housing 80 bolted to the free end of the arm 72. Thehousing 80 contains conventional tapered roller bearings 82 secured inmounts 84 forming part of housing end plates 86. The bearings 82rotatably retain a stepped shaft 88 which projects about 7 inches fromeach end of the housing 80. The projecting ends of the shaft 88 aresplined as shown at 90.

Each brush 76 includes a deep pile 92 secured to, a central tubularshaft 94. THe inside surface of the shaft 94 is broached at its innerend so that it fits nonrotatably on the splines 90 at the ends of theshaft 88, and the shaft 94 is secured to the shaft 88 by set screws 96.

Drive for the brushes 76 is provided by a shaft 98 from the hydraulicmotor 78. Shaft 98 carries a bevel gear 100 which engages a bevel gear102 mounted on the shaft 88. In practice, the brushes 76 will typicallybe driven at a speed of between 60 and 120 rpm.

Reference is next made to FIGS. 6 and 7, which show the mechanism forrotating the second arm 72 relative to the first arm 62. Asshown,secured to the first arm 6 is a plate 1 forming part of thehousing 70. Projecting from the plate 1 10 is a stepped shaft 112 havinganother plate 114 bolted to its free end. The shaft 112 is rotatablyheld in fixed axial relation to the arm 72 by a pair of tapered rollerbearings 115, 116. Roller bearing 115 is held between the plate 114 anda flange 118 in the inner surface of the arm 72, while the rollerbearing 116 is located in a recess in the end of the arm 72 and is heldin position by a gear wheel 120 held to the end face of the arm 72 bybolts 121.

The gear wheel 120 is driven by a hydraulic motor 122 (FIG. 7) mountedin the housing 70. A shaft 124 extends from the hydraulic motor andmounts a worm gear 126 which engages the teeth of the gear wheel 120, sothat when hydraulic motor 122 is actuated, the gear wheel 120 and theentire arm 72 will rotate about their common axis. Seals 128 between thehousing 70 and the arm 72 prevents oil from leaking from the housing 70.The rotation of the arm 72 is typically limited (by stops, not shown) toabout 120 on either side of the position shown in FIG. 1, to preventdamage to the oil lines leading to the brush rotation motor 78.

If desired, the arrangement shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 could be reversed,i.e. the wheel gear 120 could be mounted on the end of the first arm 62,and the housing 70 and hydraulic motor 122 could be mounted on thesecond arm 72. I

Oil is delivered to the hydraulic motor 122 to rotate the arm 72, and tothe. hydraulic motor 78 to drive the brushes 76, via the levelling rods46. To this end, each levelling rod 46 consists of two concentric pipes,one inside the other. The ends of the pipes of each levelling rod aresealed and are held by connecting fittings 134 at each end, so that theycan be pivotally connected to the mast extension 40 and to the first arm62. Fittings 136, l38 are welded to the pipes so that oil can beconducted into and from the pipes. Four oil lines 140 are connected tothe lower fittings 136. Two of the oil lines 140 are the pressure andreturn lines for the brush positioning motor 78 and extend to a controlvalve (not shown) operated by a control lever 142, and then to the oiltank 20 and pump 18. The remaining two oil lines 140 are for brushrotation, the direction of which is always the same, and one of theseoil lines extends directly to the tank 20, while the other extends to acontrol valve (not shown) operated by a control lever 143 and thenextends to the oil pump 18. Similar oil lines 144 (FIG. 3) are providedat the top fittings 138 of the levelling rod and extend to the hydraulicmotors 122,78.

Lights 144 are provided on the vehicle and on the boom to assist theoperator in event of night operation. The operator will normally sit ona seat 146 mounted by struts 148 to the frame of the machine. The seat146 is positioned so that the operators bands will reach the controllevers 10, 61, 142 and 143, and so that his feet will reach the footpedals 14, 15 to control the forward and rearward motion of the machine.The pedals 14, 15 are mounted on a floor 149.-

The front portion of the vehicle will preferably contain a tank 150which contains a detergent solution. A cabinet 152 at the side of themachine contains a detergent hose and gun.

In use, the vehicle will typically be driven to a location beneath oradjacent the lower surfaces of an aircraft to be washed. An attendantwill then remove the detergent hose and gun from the cabinet (thedetergent hose is connected to the tank 150) and spray the surfaces ofthe aircraft to be washed. A detergent pump, not shown, will be providedin the vehicle for this purpose. The operator, sitting on the seat 146,will then operate control handles 61 to raise and swing the boom to therequired position, and he will then operate the brush positioning lever142 to rotate the brush about the axis of the arm 72 until thelongitudinal axis of the brush lies parallel to the surface to bewashed. He will then operate the brush on-off lever 14310 initiate brushrotation and will then swing the boom until the brush engages thesurface of the aircraft. The operator will then move the vehicle and theboom so as to move the brush over the lower surfaces of the aircraft,i.e., over the under surfaces of the wing and tail wing and over thelower part of the fuselage, typically up to the windows. The readymaneuverability of the machine, together with the deep pile adjustableposition brush, facilitate fast and efficient washing or dusting of theaircraft.

If desired, the arm 72 can be made telescopic, as shown in FIG. 8, whereprimed reference numerals indicate parts corresponding to those of FIGS.1 to 7. The only difference between the FIG. 8 embodiment and theembodiment previously described is that in FIG. 8, the arm 72' includesan inner portion connected in the manner shown in FIGS. 6, 7 to the arm62, and a tubular housing 162 extending parallel to the portion 160 andrigidly connected thereto. The tubular housing 162 slidably houses atube 164 which can be extended from or retracted into the housing 162 bya cylinder 166 connected to the housing 162. The cylinder 166 contains apiston having its rod connected to the tube 164 to provide the desiredstroke which will typically be 3 or 4 feet. Power is provided throughhoses 168. The top of tube 164 is connected to the brushes in the samemanner as shown for the tip of arm 72 in the FIGS. 1 to 7 embodiment.

If desired, the-hydraulic system for the machine may include reliefvalves for the lift and swing cylinders 50, 54 (and also for the brushpositioning hydraulic motor 78), to limit excessive pressure on theaircraft surfaces being washed. In addition, if desired a sensing servosystem may be installed to control the operation of the lift and swingcylinders 50, 54, and of the brush positioning motor 78, and of themovement of the vehicle, so that the brush will automatically trackalong the aircraft surfaces, thus reducing the amount of control neededby the operator.

What I Claim As My Invention ls:

1. Aircraft washing and dusting apparatus comprising:

a. a boom,

b. means supporting said boom for up and down movement of said boom, andpower means for raising and lowering said boom,

c. an arm mounted at the end of said boom,

. generally cylindrical brush means having a longitudinal axis,

e. mounting means mounting said brush means on said arm for rotation ofsaid brush'means about its longitudinal axis and for rotary movement ofsaid brush means about a second axis substantially perpendicular to saidlongitudinal axis,

f. said mounting means including first motor means for rotating saidbrush about its longitudinal axis, a second motor means for rotatingsaid brush about said second axis,

g. and levelling means for 5 the orientation of said arm constant assaid boom is raised and lowered.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said brush means comprises twocylindrical brush portions, connecting means located between andconnecting said brush portions with said brush portions being in coaxialand axially spaced relation, said mounting means including a second armconnected to said connecting means and extending at right angles to theaxis of said brush portions, the extent of said connecting means in adirection radially of said brush portions being substantially less thanthe diameter of said brush portions.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said connecting meanscomprises a shaft coaxial with said brush portions and connecting thesame, a housing having means journalling said shaft for rotation in saidhousing, said housing being connected to said second arm, said firstmotor means being located adjacent the connection of said housing withsaid second arm, and gear means connecting said shaft with said firstmotor means.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said first motor means is ahydraulic motor.

5. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said mounting means includesmeans mounting said second arm on said first arm for rotation of saidsecond arm relative to said first arm about said second axis.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said means mounting saidsecond arm on said first arm includes a wheel gear mounted on andcoaxial with one of said arms, and a worm gear engaging said wheel gear,said second motor means being mounted on the other of said arms andbeing drivingly connected to said worm gear.

7. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said means for levelling saidfirst arm comprises a levelling rod connected to said first arm and tosaid means supporting said boom.

8. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said means for levelling saidfirst arm comprises a levelling rod connected to said first arm and tosaid means supporting said boom, said first and second motor means beinghydraulic motors, said levelling rod comprising at least three fluidconduits for conducting hydraulic fluid to and from said motors.

9. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said means supporting saidboom comprises a three wheeled vehicle, said vehicle having a forwardend having two independently driven wheels mounted thereon, and a rearend having a central caster mounted wheel thereon, said boom beingmounted near said rear end for side to side swinging movement.

10. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said means supporting saidboom comprises a three wheeled vehicle, said vehicle having a forwardend having two independently driven wheels mounted thereon, and a rearend having a central caster mounted wheel thereon, said boom beingmounted near said rear end for side to side swinging movement, saidapparatus further including first control means for controllingoperation of said boom and vehicle and second control means forcontrolling operation of said brush, said first control means includinga set of hand control levers and said second control means including apair of foot pedals, and an operator seat positioned on said vehicle foran operator sitting on said seat to reach both said levers and saidpedals.

11. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said brush portions are eachapproximately 3 feet in length and 3 feet in diameter, and the spacingbetween said brush portions is between 6 and 12 inches.

12. Aircraft washing and dusting apparatus comprising:

a. a housing having first and second ends,

b. a rotatable shaft means in said housing having first and second endsextending outwardly through said first and second ends of said housingrespectively, first and second cylindrical brushes secured to said firstand second ends of said shaft means respectively, said brushes having adiameter substantially greater than the diameter of said housing,

a tubular arm means rigidly secured at one end to said housing andextending in a direction at right angles to the axis of said-brushes,

. a motor means enclosed in said tubular arm means at said one endoperatively connected to said shaft means in said housing for rotatingsaid brushes about the axis thereof,

f. a second housing secured to the other end of said tubular arm means,

. a second arm means secured to said second housing and being disposedin a parallel relationship to said tubular arm means and being rotatablewith respect thereto,

and a second motor means in said second housing for rotating saidtubular arm means about a second axis perpendicular to the axis of saidbrushes.

1. Aircraft washing and dusting apparatus comprising: a. a boom, b.means supporting said boom for up and down movement of said boom, andpower means for raising and lowering said boom, c. an arm mounted at theend of said boom, d. generally cylindrical brush means having alongitudinal axis, e. mounting means mounting said brush means on saidarm for rotation of said brush means about its longitudinal axis and forrotary movement of said brush means about a second axis substantiallyperpendicular to said longitudinal axis, f. said mounting meansincluding first motor means for rotating said brush about itslongitudinal axis, a second motor means for rotating said brush aboUtsaid second axis, g. and levelling means for 5 the orientation of saidarm constant as said boom is raised and lowered.
 2. Apparatus accordingto claim 1 wherein said brush means comprises two cylindrical brushportions, connecting means located between and connecting said brushportions with said brush portions being in coaxial and axially spacedrelation, said mounting means including a second arm connected to saidconnecting means and extending at right angles to the axis of said brushportions, the extent of said connecting means in a direction radially ofsaid brush portions being substantially less than the diameter of saidbrush portions.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein saidconnecting means comprises a shaft coaxial with said brush portions andconnecting the same, a housing having means journalling said shaft forrotation in said housing, said housing being connected to said secondarm, said first motor means being located adjacent the connection ofsaid housing with said second arm, and gear means connecting said shaftwith said first motor means.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 3 whereinsaid first motor means is a hydraulic motor.
 5. Apparatus according toclaim 2 wherein said mounting means includes means mounting said secondarm on said first arm for rotation of said second arm relative to saidfirst arm about said second axis.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 4wherein said means mounting said second arm on said first arm includes awheel gear mounted on and coaxial with one of said arms, and a worm gearengaging said wheel gear, said second motor means being mounted on theother of said arms and being drivingly connected to said worm gear. 7.Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said means for levelling saidfirst arm comprises a levelling rod connected to said first arm and tosaid means supporting said boom.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 2wherein said means for levelling said first arm comprises a levellingrod connected to said first arm and to said means supporting said boom,said first and second motor means being hydraulic motors, said levellingrod comprising at least three fluid conduits for conducting hydraulicfluid to and from said motors.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 2 whereinsaid means supporting said boom comprises a three wheeled vehicle, saidvehicle having a forward end having two independently driven wheelsmounted thereon, and a rear end having a central caster mounted wheelthereon, said boom being mounted near said rear end for side to sideswinging movement.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said meanssupporting said boom comprises a three wheeled vehicle, said vehiclehaving a forward end having two independently driven wheels mountedthereon, and a rear end having a central caster mounted wheel thereon,said boom being mounted near said rear end for side to side swingingmovement, said apparatus further including first control means forcontrolling operation of said boom and vehicle and second control meansfor controlling operation of said brush, said first control meansincluding a set of hand control levers and said second control meansincluding a pair of foot pedals, and an operator seat positioned on saidvehicle for an operator sitting on said seat to reach both said leversand said pedals.
 11. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said brushportions are each approximately 3 feet in length and 3 feet in diameter,and the spacing between said brush portions is between 6 and 12 inches.12. Aircraft washing and dusting apparatus comprising: a. a housinghaving first and second ends, b. a rotatable shaft means in said housinghaving first and second ends extending outwardly through said first andsecond ends of said housing respectively, c. first and secondcylindrical brushes secured to said first and second ends of said shaftmeans respectively, said brushes having a diameter substantially greaterthan the diameter of saId housing, d. a tubular arm means rigidlysecured at one end to said housing and extending in a direction at rightangles to the axis of said brushes, e. a motor means enclosed in saidtubular arm means at said one end operatively connected to said shaftmeans in said housing for rotating said brushes about the axis thereof,f. a second housing secured to the other end of said tubular arm means,g. a second arm means secured to said second housing and being disposedin a parallel relationship to said tubular arm means and being rotatablewith respect thereto, h. and a second motor means in said second housingfor rotating said tubular arm means about a second axis perpendicular tothe axis of said brushes.